Pressure Ulcer Prevention at Home

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Pressure Ulcer Prevention at Home: Pressure ulcer prevention for people with long-term neurological conditions (LTNCs) who self-manage care and live at home. A participatory intervention development approach.

• IRAS ID

  318424

• Contact name

  Susanne Coleman

• Contact email

  medscole@leeds.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Leeds

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 6 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Pressure ulcers (PUs) are areas of damaged skin/tissue, caused by being in one position for too long. PUs can cause distress, pain, long hospital stays, surgery and are an expensive healthcare problem. In hospitals, there are lots of things in place to prevent PUs (e.g. risk assessment, equipment). However, there is little support for people with Long-Term Neurological Conditions (LTNC: e.g. Multiple Sclerosis, Spina Bifida and Spinal Cord Injury) who self-manage care and live at home, despite them being at increased risk of PUs (if they are unable to change position regularly and/or lack skin sensation that would prompt them to move). The overall study is exploring how to make PU prevention part of wider self-care for people with LTNC and what resources (interventions) are needed to assist this. It looks at how informal carers and Paid Personal Assistants (PPA) can support PU prevention. The study comprises 4 stages using a participatory (user-led) approach:

  1. Co-operative Inquiry Groups (CIGs) with those with LTNCs, informal carers and PPAs to work as peer researchers as well as share their experiences of PU prevention;
  2. We will interview additional people with LTNCs, carers and PPAs. People will also be able to provide data via a smartphone app. Interviews will be undertaken by members of the CIGs (see stage 1). Recruitment will mostly happen via established links with relevant charities. A small number of people may be approached via the NHS.
  3. workshops will be held with strategic partners (e.g. nurses, GPs, charity representatives) to explore their perspectives of PU prevention;
  4. Groups from 1 and 3 will come together to map the issues to identify areas that would most benefit from extra intervention.

• REC name

  London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/LO/0132

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Feb 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion